Helmet having a temperature control mechanism for controlling the temperature

ABSTRACT

A helmet adapted to control the temperature within the helmet is disclosed. The helmet contains therein a pipe designed to drive therein a cooled or heated liquid. The pipe is positioned with the helmet such that the pipe is in partial contact with the user&#39;s head body part when wearing the helmet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/590,298 filed on Nov. 23, 2017, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure generally relates to helmets, and more specifically to ahelmet having means for controlling the temperature within the helmet.

BACKGROUND

There are many occasions in which wearing of a helmet is necessary orhighly desirable. Exemplary a few instances where wearing a helmet for arelatively long period of time is required include a motorcycle policeofficer, a race car driver, and a military tank driver. Considerablediscomfort can result from wearing a helmet, especially the full-facetype, for even a short period of time particularly in very warm or coldweather.

When used in free-flowing environments, such as when riding amotorcycle, there may be sufficient airflow into the helmet. However,when used in substantially closed or dirty environments, it would beadvantageous to control the temperature within the helmet withoutdepending on airflow.

SUMMARY

A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. Thissummary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basicunderstanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadthof the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of allcontemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key orcritical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of anyor all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one ormore embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is presented later. For convenience, the term “certainembodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment ormultiple embodiments of the disclosure.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein include an element a helmetcomprising: a helmet shell, the helmet shell having an inner shapeconforming a person's head body part; a liquid container adapted tocontain liquid, wherein the liquid container is structured with an entrypoint for the liquid and an exit point for the liquid; a pipe beingpartially positioned within the inner shape of the helmet shell andtransporting therein a liquid, the pipe having a first pipe entry pointfor the liquid to enter therein and a first pipe exit point for theliquid to exit therefrom, such that the pipe is to be in partial contactwith the person's head body part when wearing the helmet; athermoelectric module configured to adjust the temperature of at leastone surface connected to the thermoelectric module, the at least onesurface is attached to the liquid container such that the temperature ofthe liquid within the liquid container is affected by the temperature ofthe at least one surface; and a pump having an inlet flange and anoutlet flange, wherein a second pipe entry point is connected to theinlet flange, wherein a second pipe exit point is connected to theoutlet flange, wherein the pump when powered drives the liquid throughthe pipe and the thermoelectric module, such that the temperature of theliquid in the pipe is affected by the temperature within the liquidcontainer.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein include a detachable comfortpadding for use with a helmet for controlling a temperature within thehelmet, the detachable comfort padding. The padding comprises: a pipemounted within the detachable comfort padding, wherein the pipe ispartial contact with a head body part of a person wearing the helmet,the pipe having at least a pipe entry point and at least a pipe exitpoint adapted to accept a liquid flowing therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter that is regarded as the disclosure is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features andadvantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a helmet adapted to control atemperature within the helmet according to an embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram shows the liquid temperature monitoringassembly outside the helmet in an isometric view.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a liquid temperature monitoringassembly according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a pipe and a plurality of metalliccomponents that are part of the liquid temperature monitoring assemblyaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of the liquid temperature monitoringassembly according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram from a bottom isometric view of the helmetincluding therein the liquid temperature monitoring assembly accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram from a bottom view of the helmetincluding therein the liquid temperature monitoring assembly accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a cutaway diagram from a side view of the helmet includingtherein the liquid temperature monitoring assembly according to anembodiment.

FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram from a front view of the helmet includingtherein the liquid temperature monitoring assembly according to anembodiment.

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram from a bottom view of a detachablecomfort padding for use with a helmet for controlling a temperaturewithin the helmet according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram from a top view of a detachable comfortpadding for use with a helmet for controlling a temperature within thehelmet according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5C is a schematic diagram from a side view of a detachable comfortpadding for use with a helmet for controlling a temperature within thehelmet according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments disclosed by the disclosure are only examples of themany possible advantageous uses and implementations of the innovativeteachings presented herein. In general, statements made in thespecification of the present application do not necessarily limit any ofthe various claimed disclosures. Moreover, some statements may apply tosome inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwiseindicated, singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with noloss of generality. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like partsthrough several views.

A helmet configured to control the temperature within the helmet isdisclosed. The helmet contains therein a pipe designed to drive throughthe pipe a cooled or heated liquid. The pipe is positioned with thehelmet such that the pipe is in partial contact with the user's headbody part when wearing the helmet.

FIG. 1A shows an example schematic diagram of a helmet 100 having atemperature control mechanism for controlling the temperature within thehelmet 100 according to an embodiment. The helmet 100 includes a helmetshell 105 having an inner shape to generally conform to a person's headbody part, and a liquid temperature monitoring assembly 200 that isfurther discussed herein below. The liquid temperature monitoringassembly may be connected to the helmet 100 or embedded within thehelmet 100 as further described herein below. The liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly 200 facilitates the control of the temperaturewithin the helmet.

FIG. 1B shows an example schematic diagram of the liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly in an isometric view. The liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly 200, as shown in FIG. 1B, is positioned outside thehelmet 100, such that, several components that are usually locatedwithin the helmet 100, e.g. a pipe that is further described hereinbelow, may be shown. It should be noted that the pipe and othercomponents of the liquid temperature monitoring assembly 200 areutilized to increase and reduce the temperature within the helmet 100.

FIG. 2A shows an example schematic diagram of a liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly 200 adapted to control a temperature within thehelmet 100 according to an embodiment. The liquid temperature monitoringassembly 200 includes a liquid container 210 containing therein aliquid. The liquid may be, for example, water, antifreeze, glycol-watermixture, and so on. The liquid container is further described hereinbelow with respect of FIG. 3.

The helmet 100 further includes a pipe 220 positioned within the innershape of the helmet shell 105 and transporting therein the liquid, suchthat the pipe is to be in partial contact with the person's head bodypart when wearing the helmet. The pipe 220 is further discussed withrespect of FIG. 2B.

The liquid temperature monitoring assembly 200 further includes athermoelectric module 230 configured to increase and reduce thetemperature of at least one surface (not shown) connected to the module230. The surface may be made of a conductive material such as a metal.The surface may be attached to the liquid container 210 such that thetemperature of the liquid within the liquid container 210 is affected bythe temperature of the surface. The thermoelectric module 230 mayfurther include a fan 250 and a heatsink 260 designed to exchange theheat generated by the surface.

The helmet 100 further includes a pump 240. According to an embodiment,when the pump 140 is powered, the drive is structured to drive theliquid through the pipe 120 and the thermoelectric module 230, such thatthe temperature of the liquid in the pipe 120 is affected by thetemperature within the liquid container 110. According to oneembodiment, a power source is configured to activate the pump 140 andthe thermoelectric module 130. The power source may be, for example, abattery, a rechargeable battery, a plurality of batteries, themotorcycle battery, and the like. The components of the pump 140 arefurther described with respect of FIG. 3.

The liquid temperature monitoring assembly 200 further includes aplurality of hollow metallic components 270-1 through 270-N (N is aninteger number greater than 1). The hollow metallic components 270 maybe embedded within a plurality of sections of the pipe 220 such that thehollow metallic components 270 are to be in at least partial contactwith the person's head body part when wearing the helmet, allowing theliquid to flow throughout the pipe 220.

The hollow metallic components 270 enhance the cooling and heatingcapabilities of the pipe 220 such that when the head body part of theperson touches the hollow metallic components 270, the effect of theliquid temperature monitoring assembly 200 is enhanced, as opposed tousing only the pipe 220 for controlling the helmet 100 temperature. Itshould be noted that multiple hollow metallic components 270 may beintegrated within the pipe 220. It should further be noted that thetemperature in a section where a metallic component is positioned can becolder, when cold is desirable, and warmer, when heat is desirable, incomparison to the sections in which only the pipe 220 is positioned.

FIG. 2B shows an example exploded schematic diagram of the pipe 220according to an embodiment. The pipe 220 may include a first pipe entrypoint 220-14 for the liquid to enter therein and a first pipe exit point220-16 for the liquid to exit therefrom. In an embodiment, the pipe 220may include a second pipe entry point 220-17 and a second pipe exitpoint 220-19 as further described herein below. FIG. 2B also shows anexploded view that presents two example hollow metallic components 270-1and 270-2 that may be attached to an external side of the pipe 220. Inan embodiment, the metallic components may be embedded within the pipe220.

FIG. 2C shows an example schematic diagram of the liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly 200 according to an embodiment. Several componentssuch as the fan 250, the heatsink 260, the pipe 220 and the hollowmetallic component 270, are shown.

FIG. 3 shows an example bottom isometric schematic diagram of the helmet100 according to an embodiment. The liquid container 210 includes anentry point 210-11 for the liquid and an exit point 210-13 for theliquid. In an embodiment, the first pipe entry point 220-17 is connectedto the entry point 210-11 and the first pipe exit point 220-19 isconnected to the exit point 210-13. The pump 240 includes an inletflange 240-17 and an outlet flange 240-19. In an embodiment, the secondpipe entry point 220-17 is connected to the inlet flange 240-17 and thesecond pipe exit point 220-19 is connected to the outlet flange 240-19.Thus, when the pump 240 is powered, the pump 240 drives the liquidthrough the pipe 220 and the thermoelectric module 230, such that thetemperature of the liquid in the pipe 220 is affected by the temperaturewithin the liquid container 210.

According to one embodiment, the pipe 220 is connected to the pump 240and further connected to a liquid container 210 as further describedherein above. The liquid container 210 is connected to thethermoelectric module (shown in FIG. 2A). The thermoelectric module(shown in FIG. 2A) is configured to affect the temperature of theliquid, when the liquid is within the liquid container 210. That is tosay, when the thermoelectric module 230 generates cold, the surfaceattached thereto is affected and therefore the liquid container 210affixed to the surface is affected too. Thus, the liquid within theliquid container 210 cools.

According to yet further embodiment, the cooled or heated liquid,generated by the thermoelectric module 230, is driven using the pump 240from the liquid container 210 throughout the pipe 220 and goes back intothe liquid container 210 for continuing the process.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show a schematic diagram of the inner shape of thehelmet 100 having a pipe 220 therein according to an embodiment. Thehelmet shell 105 is the external side of the helmet 100 designed toprotect the user from being injured. The pipe 220 is positioned withinthe inner shape of the helmet 100 such that the pipe 220 is to be inpartial contact with the user's head body part when wearing the helmet100. According to an embodiment, the pipe 220 may be connected to and/orembedded within a comfort padding (not shown) of the helmet 100 or otherinterior components of the helmet 100. Also described in FIG. 4 are thepump 240, the inlet flange 240-17 and the outlet flange 240-19.

According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the pipe 220 may bepositioned within the helmet 100, however the liquid temperaturemonitoring assembly 200 designed to heat and cool the liquid with thepipe 220, may be in a carrier such as a designated backpack.

FIG. 5A shows an example diagram of a detachable comfort padding for usewith a helmet for controlling a temperature within the helmet accordingto an embodiment. A pipe 220 is mounted within a detachable comfortpadding 510 such that the pipe 220 is to be in partial contact with ahead body part of a person wearing the helmet. The pipe 220 may includea plurality of entry points and a pipe exit points adapted to accept aliquid flowing therein. In an embodiment, the pipe 220 is embeddedwithin a designated slit of the detachable comfort padding.

The detachable comfort padding 510 may be attached to an inner side ofdifferent helmets using a plurality of connecting elements 530, such asthe connecting elements 530-1 through 530-3. The connecting elements 530may be for example, buttons, straps, etc. Thus, the detachable comfortpadding 510 having therein the pipe 220 may be installed in variousexisting types of helmets. Examples for such elements include, Shoei®helmets, LS2® helmets, AGV® helmets, and so on. According to anembodiment, the pipe 220 is embedded within a designated slit of thedetachable comfort padding 410.

FIG. 5B shows an example schematic diagram from a top view of adetachable comfort padding 510 for use with a helmet for controlling atemperature within the helmet according to an embodiment. The detachablecomfort padding 510 includes a plurality of entry points and a pipe exitpoints adapted to accept a liquid flowing through the pipe 220, such asthe pipe entry point 220-17 and the pipe exit point 220-19.

FIG. 5C shows an example schematic diagram from a side view of adetachable comfort 510 padding for use with a helmet for controlling atemperature within the helmet according to an embodiment.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” followed by a listing ofitems means that any of the listed items can be utilized individually,or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be utilized.For example, if a system is described as including “at least one of A,B, and C,” the system can include A alone; B alone; C alone; 2A; 2B; 2C;3A; A and B in combination; B and C in combination; A and C incombination; A, B, and C in combination; 2A and C in combination; A, 3B,and 2C in combination; and the like.

It should be understood that any reference to an element herein using adesignation such as “first,” “second,” and so forth does not generallylimit the quantity or order of those elements. Rather, thesedesignations are generally used herein as a convenient method ofdistinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element.Thus, a reference to first and second elements does not mean that onlytwo elements may be employed there or that the first element mustprecede the second element in some manner. Also, unless statedotherwise, a set of elements comprises one or more elements.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principlesand the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, andare to be construed as being without limitation to such specificallyrecited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements hereinreciting principles, aspects, and embodiments, as well as specificexamples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural andfunctional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that suchequivalents include both currently known equivalents as well asequivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed thatperform the same function, regardless of structure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A helmet, comprising: a helmet shell, the helmetshell having an inner shape conforming a person's head body part; aliquid container adapted to contain liquid, wherein the liquid containeris structured with an entry point for the liquid and an exit point forthe liquid; a pipe being partially positioned within the inner shape ofthe helmet shell and transporting therein a liquid, the pipe having afirst pipe entry point for the liquid to enter therein and a first pipeexit point for the liquid to exit therefrom, such that the pipe is to bein partial contact with the person's head body part when wearing thehelmet; a thermoelectric module configured to adjust the temperature ofat least one surface connected to the thermoelectric module, the atleast one surface is attached to the liquid container such that thetemperature of the liquid within the liquid container is affected by thetemperature of the at least one surface; and a pump having an inletflange and an outlet flange, wherein a second pipe entry point isconnected to the inlet flange, wherein a second pipe exit point isconnected to the outlet flange, wherein the pump when powered drives theliquid through the pipe and the thermoelectric module, such that thetemperature of the liquid in the pipe is affected by the temperaturewithin the liquid container.
 2. The helmet of claim 1, furthercomprising: a power source configured to activate the pump and thethermoelectric module.
 3. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the pipeincludes a plurality of hollow metallic components that are embeddedwithin a plurality of sections of the pipe such that the metalliccomponents are to be in at least partial contact with the person's headbody part when wearing the helmet, wherein the pump when powered drivesthe liquid through the plurality of hollow metallic components.
 4. Adetachable comfort padding for use with a helmet for controlling atemperature within the helmet, the detachable comfort padding comprises:a pipe mounted within the detachable comfort padding, wherein the pipeis partial contact with a head body part of a person wearing the helmet,the pipe having at least a pipe entry point and at least a pipe exitpoint adapted to accept a liquid flowing therein.
 5. The detachablecomfort padding of claim 4, wherein the pipe is embedded within adesignated slit of the detachable comfort padding.
 6. The detachablecomfort padding of claim 4, wherein the pipe entry point is designed toinsert a liquid into the pipe and the pipe exit point designed to removethe liquid out of the pipe.
 7. The detachable comfort padding of claim4, wherein the pipe is connected to a pump and further connected to aliquid container.
 8. The detachable comfort padding of claim 7, whereinthe liquid container is connected to a thermoelectric module.
 9. Thedetachable comfort padding of claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric moduleis configured to adjust the temperature of the liquid when the liquid iswithin the liquid container.
 10. The detachable comfort padding of claim9, wherein the liquid within the liquid container is driven by the pumpthroughout the pipe.
 11. The detachable comfort padding of claim 4,wherein the pipe includes a plurality of hollow metallic components thatare embedded within a plurality of sections of the pipe such that themetallic components are to be in at least partial contact with theperson's head body part when wearing the helmet.